About the authors

49, was a research scientist in biology and molecular biology for 18 years despite being diagnosed as having schizophrenia in 1985. She left the National Institute of Medical Research, Mill Hill in January 1998 to work as a freelance trainer, adviser and researcher in the mental health area.

She is very committed to reducing the stigma of having a mental health problem and making sure the mental health service user view is heard. She has worked with many different groups including the Police, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance Service and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford.

41, is a mental health campaigner and activist with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. He has been interviewed by a range of media outlets including national radio, trade magazines and local newspapers.

Stuart was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travel Fellowship to travel to Nepal and trek to Everest Base Camp in 2003 to raise awareness of schizophrenia. He plans to climb Everest in 2007 to continue his campaign. Stuart lives in Dorset, and his photographs of Everest have been exhibited in local galleries.

is 55, has been married for 32 years and has three grown-up children and one granddaughter. He has spent all his working life as a geologist in the oil business and is currently Exploration Manager for a London based oil company. David has a PhD in Geology and teaches parttime at St Andrews University. He and his wife care for their son who has schizophrenia. He is currently a member of the Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership Board.

is 32 and is a research worker at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London. She qualified as a biologist several years ago but after developing mental illness experienced discrimination in getting employment. She decided to use her experiences to work in the mental health field. She was a media volunteer with Rethink, which led to a full-time post in the organisation. Helen now uses her experiences to study mental health services and their impact on service users.

is 31 and studying to be a clinical psychologist at the University of Surrey. She lives in South West London with her partner and two cats. Her biggest learning experience has been her experience of schizophrenia – a diagnosis which changed her life aged 18. Emma has been a mental health support worker, and a senior project worker at a User Employment Programme and campaigned for Rethink.

is 48 and lives in South London. He is a founding member of Sound Minds, a studio for people with enduring mental health problems, focused on popular music and other arts activities. Devon has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, and has given interviews to a range of media, particularly about black and minority ethnic issues in mental health.

is 57, and runs the management consultancy Spotlight On Schizophrenia which offers training and free advice to carers. She has written three books about her experiences and uses them to train mental health professionals. Clients include Greenwich University, St George’s University Hospital, Tooting and the Institute of Psychiatry. Georgie is married to Paul and has two sons, and cares for her son Christian who has schizophrenia. She enjoys writing, walking her dog and teaching her African Grey parrot to talk.